Northwest California: A Natural History [Hardcover]

John O. Sawyer (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: August 15, 2006 | ISBN-10: 0520232860 | ISBN-13: 978-0520232860 | Edition: 1

Northwestern California is mainly known for its majestic redwood forests and incomparable coastline, but there is much more in its rich biota and scenery. The forests are part of the most diverse temperate coniferous forest in the world. Rugged mountains, numerous lakes, wilderness areas, and wild rivers attract outdoor enthusiasts and geologists came here to refine the theory of plate tectonics. Distilling a vast amount of knowledge, this book is the starting point for anyone who wants to explore the biological and geographical richness of northwestern California. John O. Sawyer describes the famous forests and varied landscapes from a geographic perspective. He explains its long geological history and the changing roles of fire and land use. The result of a lifetime of work, his rich narrative illustrates how the region, in many ways the least modified portion of the state, is a place where plants and animals have been shielded from extinction. Sawyer documents the restoration of dunes and forests, the control of nonnative plant invasions, and innovative approaches to restoring rivers so they can support thriving fisheries.

Editorial Reviews

From the Inside Flap

"No one is more familiar with the natural history of the poorly known northwest corner of California than John Sawyer. It is a treat to go along with him as he expertly describes the fascinating physical and biological forces that shape the incredibly diverse landscapes of this region. Details on how humans have modified these lands in the past, as well as the present, and how we can preserve the many unusual ecosystems found there, bring added depth to this remarkable volume."--Harold Mooney, Stanford University

"While Northwest California is one of the most biologically diverse regions of the state, it is also one of the least known. One person, however, knows that region well--very well, in fact--and that is John Sawyer, a botanist who has been studying the area for over 40 years. We should all be grateful that he shares a good deal of his knowledge in this engaging, informative, and comprehensive natural history."--Lester Rowntree, University of California Berkeley

About the Author

John O. Sawyer is Professor of Botany, Emeritus, at Humboldt State University. Among his books is Trees and Shrubs of California, from UC Press.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 264 pages
• Publisher: University of California Press; 1 edition (August 15, 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0520232860
• ISBN-13: 978-0520232860
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 6 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,163,969 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3.0 out of 5 stars An Academic Approach, August 23, 2010

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Dorothea Casaubon (East Bay, CA) - See all my reviews

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This review is from: Northwest California: A Natural History (Hardcover)

I bought this book thinking it might be a field guide. It is packed with intriguing information, but is not intended as a guide for the general public. Academic in nature, it assumes comfort with undergraduate level technical information. And, it's a bit difficult to use in the field. For instance, there's a nice list of fen plants on page 60, but no mention of fens in the index, despite a paragraph defining the difference between a bog and a fen on page 26. Lists of plants and animals are provided, but are difficult to find when you want them, since they aren't all included in the index. Some latin names are indexed, some not.

Flora, fauna and minerals are not described, only listed. You'll need other field guides to ID them. Some information would have been better presented as maps and charts, rather than text, such as the geographic zone definitions.

The only part of the book I used while actually hiking were the lists. Here, the use of common names, with latin names following in parenthesis was frustrating. It results in species of one genus being separated, rather than together, on a list because they have been alphabetized by the first word of their common name. On the other hand, it is nice to have flora and fauna listed by habitat and location.

Being a somewhat nerdy amateur, I did enjoy the history of human impacts in the area, paleobotany, research findings on many topics, and conservation content. This is a serious book by an authority with many years of research to his credit, aimed at serious students. Read it at home, before you go, and in the motel or campground while you visit this beautiful and rich area, or buy more general field guides if you just want to learn names of a few plants and animals when you visit the area.